Texans cut Wallace; Bills release Heard

Headed into the 2012 NFL Preseason, the Crossroads area was represented by four players.

Three players with local ties were cut - the Texans' Cody Wallace, who could end up on the practice squad, and the Bills' Kellan Heard and Panthers' Joe Jon Finley - while one survived.

Wallace spent the second half of the 2010 season and all of last season on the Texans' practice squad after being cut by San Francisco after the 2010 training camp. The Cuero native is eligible to spend one more season on a practice squad. He has spent time on the practice squads of the Detroit Lions and New York Jets.

Oakland punter Shane Lechler survived the final round of cuts Friday night, when teams were forced to cut their rosters from 75 to 53 players.

Heard, who was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Raiders in 2010 and signed by Buffalo from their practice squad the same year, has been on the active roster for all but four games for the Bills.

In 2011, Heard played in 15 games with two starts and recorded 21 total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.

Lechler, a 13 year veteran punter, was a near lock to make the Raiders' final roster. The East Bernard graduate has 993 punts in his career, averaging 47.6 yards per punt.

Finley, who was originally signed as undrafted rookie in 2008 by San Francisco, was signed as a free agent by Carolina this past May. The former Oklahoma Sooner has spent time on the practice squads of the 49ers (2008-2009) and Lions (2010-2011).